SUPERVISOR WIENER TO HOLD HEARING TODAY ON CITY RESPONSE TO DROUGHT AND LEGISLATIVE SOLUTIONS - SUCH AS REQUIRING SEPARATE WATER METERS IN NEW BUILDINGS - TO REDUCE WATER USAGE

Posted on October 06, 2014

City Departments will report on practices and policies being implemented to reduce water usage and will explore potential legislative solutions, including expanding water recycling/reuse efforts and requiring separate water meters within multi-unit buildings

WHEN: Monday, October 6th, 1:30 PM

WHERE: Land Use and Economic Development Committe Board of Supervisors San Francisco City Hall, Room 263

WHAT: Today Supervisor Wiener will hold an oversight hearing on the City's response to the drought, and potential legislative solutions to improve San Francisco's water conservation efforts. The Public Utilities Commission, the Department of Public Works, the Recreation and Park Department, the Department of Building Inspection and the Department of Environment will report on what measures have been taken to reduce water usage both by departments and in the city at-large. Areas of policy exploration include increasing water recycling/reuse and requiring individual water meters and plumbing systems that allow for water reuse. Recycled water is highly treated wastewater that can be employed for non-potable uses like landscaping, street cleaning, and other industrial uses. Water metering is an important way to reduce water use by allowing people to know their water consumption and requiring them to pay for it separately. Unlike electricity, which is individually metered, water is not required to be separately metered for multi-unit residential buildings.